Autumn/Winter 2019

Creating new memories
at Little Bridge House
Emma and Mark Smale recently returned
to Little Bridge House for a stay with their
daughters, Evie and Amelie, to show them
why the hospice was such a special place for
their first daughter, Imogen, who died in 2016.
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Imogen was born in July 2011 with a
condition called Microcephaly, which left
her blind, unable to swallow and with
polymorphic epilepsy. She needed round
the clock care, physiotherapy and multiple
medications, and the family was referred
to Children’s Hospice South West in March
2012. The hospice provided Emma and
Mark with support, advice and the chance
to enjoy some much-needed sleep, while
ensuring Imogen received the highest
quality of care and plenty of fun too.
When Imogen died in hospital in 2016, the
family brought her to Little Bridge House
to lay at rest in the hospice’s special
Starborn room, so they could say their
goodbyes in the place she loved the most
in the world.
Losing a child is the hardest thing a parent
has to endure. We offer bereavement
support for the whole family for as long
as they wish. For many families, this can
be several years, and our Care Teams are
always happy to share memories or talk
with a family about their child. Families are
offered a bereavement stay or visit and are
invited back to our Remembering Days and
other activities. Our mothers’ and fathers’
support groups also offer bereaved parents
the chance to gather together and share
experiences with others who have been
through a similar journey.